Drier for photographic prints and films



June 22 1926. 1,589,642

G. D. HARRIS DRIE FOR PHOTGGRAPHIC PRINTS AND FILMS Filed March l, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l N r v E Nm N ATTORNEY June 22 1926. 1,589,642

G. D. HARRIS DRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS AND FILMS Filed March 1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY Patented June 22, 1926.

UNiTED vSTATES,

1,589,642v4 PATENT-OFFICE.

GORDON DON HARRIS, F STANFORD. CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE INDUSTRIAL DRYER CORPORATION, OF STANFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- N ECTIC'UT.

DRIER Fon PHOTOGRAPHE PRINTS AND FILMS.

Application filed March This invention is a drier for various ina-- lcrials, more }mrticularly photographic prints and films` and the object -is an apparatus wherein air at adcsired temperature and humidity may he circulated at the required velocity and in the required volume for ell'ecting the exchange ot heat 'for moisture to the end that prints and lilmsn'iay be dried rapidly and -uni'torn'ily and without curling ot' the margins thereof.

The apparatus of my invention is adapted for use interchangeably with films and prints,` and in drying tilms they are suspended Within a chamber for exposure to contact with the circulating air, Whereas prints are or may be forcibly pressed on or squeegeed upon plate-like members adapted also for exposure to the circulating air. Provision is made for conditioning` the air as to its moisture content during the cycles of its recirculation within the apparatus, and to this end, a desired volume ot moist air is ,discharged and a like volume of fresh atmospheric air is supplied at and during the recirculation of the drying atmosphere, thus precluding the flow of air having excess humidity into contact with the material uinder treatment.

Other functions and advantages ojt the invention will appear from the following descriptionptaken in connection with the drawings,l wherein Figure l is a vertical sectional elevation o't the apparatus adapted for drying photographic prints.

Figure 2 is a similar view oit the apparatus adapted for dryingsuspended photographic films.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of another embodiment of the invention adapted for drying photographic tilms; and

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.

The apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 is constructed for use either for prints or films by a simple interchange ot some of the parts. A housingr A is provided'with vertical partition walls B parallel to two of its sides, said partition walls being spaced relatively to the housing walls to produce flues or ducts C, These ducts extend fromthe bottom nearly to the top, and they provide for t-he upward flow of a drying medium, and for the delivery of such medium to the 1, :1926. Serial No. 91,349.

bers of' the apparatus within which the material is adapted to be contained.

D is a fan positioned within the upper part ot the housing and mounted to rotate on Vertical axis, whereby the rotation of the tan blows the drying atmosphere downwardly into one or a plurality of chambers Ill, i', contained within the housing. The partition walls B are shown as having a series of ledges, c. d, e, f, the utility ot which is that they aii'ord supports forthe elements used interchangeably Within the apparatus for exposing prints or iilms to the How of the drying medium. Figure l, a horizontal perforated or slotted rack, F, is adapted to be supported by the ledges. (l, at the bottom part ot chamber E, said rack F having a plurality of holders or clips` r/,tor retaining a number of platelike members G within the chamber E.

Ledges, f at or near the bottom of the partition walls alford means for supporting another perforated or slotted rack H. the latter being near the bottom part ot chamhcr ll", said rack H having holders or clips 71 'tor retaining the plate-like members G within the chamber E'.

Ledges e are below the ledges (l, relatively close thereto, and they support a foraminous or perforated tray, I, below the rack F and across the upper part of chamber E', said tray having a fibrous pad, I', which is com- As shown :in-

posed of loosely woven absorbent material adapted to be saturated with a suitable liquid for imparting humidity to the drying atmosphere adapted to be circulated within said chambers, E, E. The tray Withv the moistener permits the relatively Tree downward flow of the drying atmosphere under the impulse created by the rotation of the fan, the intersti'ces of the tray and the moistener being such as to afford small obstruction to the How of the atmosphere.

The moistener and tray are adapted tobe charged with `liquid in any manner preferred. The racks, F, H and tray, I, are demountable from the le ges d, e, f, respectively, and they are removable at will from the-chambers E, E', through suitable doors (not shown) provided in the walls of the housing. The 'fibrous open mesh moistener acts, also, as a medium for filtering the circulating drying medium for eliminating particles of dust, etc., and thus overcomes lodgment of foreign matter upon the surfaces of the prints or films.

Intermediate the fan D and the load within the upper chamber E are vanes or baffles J for diverting the flow of air from the fan, and for distributing the same uniformly over the prints ory films. These vanes are ixedly supported within the housing directly below. the fan, and they are variously inclined with reference to the Vertical axis of the chamber E, and to the plate-like members G, whereby thevanes are in the `line of iow of the air blown downwardly by theI fan, the vanes acting to divert the air'toward the sides, middle, and intermediate areas of the chamber in a manner to equal-v ize the flow downwardly. v

The apparatus of Figure lis used for drying photographic rints which are pressed forcibly upon t e surfaces of the plate-like members G, G', or squeegeed thereupon, in order to be in a flat, smooth condition during the drying operation, said lates having polished surfaces to impart a esirable glossy finish to the sensitized surfaces. The racks, F, H, and moi'stener' tray, I, are removable at will to obtain access to the members G, G', and moistener I', to thev end that the prints in a wet condition may be squeezed onto the members whenthe latter are dismounted from the racks, as well as to moisten the fibrous material on the tray asf-and` when required.- The trays are placed inthe holders of the racks, and the loaded trays are inserted into the chambers E, E', withthe tray I between the racks. The fan is driven to circulate the drying medium by blowing it downwardly within chambers E, E', and exhausting the medium f by drawing lit lupwardly through the liues C, vthus'recirculating the medium in order to utilize an atmosphere having a desired moisture content for the eiicient and rapid elimination of moisture from the prints. In the downflow of/ air from the fan, it is diverted by the vanes J, and its flow equalized in the several parts of chambers E, E', the atmosphere flowing between the parallel members G, G', and into contacts with the prints thereon. In the cycles of circulation downwardly through the chambers and upwardly within the iues, some of the moist air flows out of the ports a and fresh air flows through the ports b, and the moist air is mixed with the fresh air by the action I indicated at L. The baror rail K occupies a horizontal position below the vanes J, and rests upon the ledges c provided near the top of the vchamber E. The films are hung from the rail K by suitable hooks, as 7c, and they are suspended freely'within the chamber .E2 for exposure to the atmosphere blown downwardly and recirculated by the fan D. The atmosphere is conditioned by the discharge of some of the moist air through ports a and the admixture of fresh airadmitted through ports b, such downflowing atmosphere from the fan being diverted by the vanes J, all vas described heretofore.

In the apparatus of Figures l and 2, the

fan D is positioned interiorly with respect Vfrom the chamber E, the vanes J of Figures l and Qbeing omitted and partition p sub# stituted therefor ,as a means for equalizing the flow of air' downwardly upon the prints orfilms. A

The apparatus vof `Figures 3 and 4 is shown as equiiped with racks F, H, for the members G, adapted to contain prints, indicated at 10 in Figurel 3,.but, obviously, the racks andthe tray-may be removed in order that a rail such as Kmay be arranged therein for suspending long films within the' chamber of said housing.` Said apparatus of Figures 3 and l is constructed with a single return duct orfue Q, positioned at one side thereof, said duct being connected to the lower part of the chambenand said duct having an exit port a, and an inlet port b. The duct leads upwardly from the housair intake b for retardin in a measure the flow of moist and fresh aninto the chamber g under the suction created by the rotation of the blower and exhauster.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A drier of the class described embodying a chamber and a flue for the circulation of a drying atmosphere, means for supporting material within the chamber, a blower for circulating the atmosphere downwardly within said chamber, and means for diverting the downlow of said atmosphere and for equalizing the flow within said chamber.

2. In a drier of the class described, a chamber, a blower for circulating a drying atmosphere downwardly within said chamber, a flue connected withthe chamber and to the intake to said blower, said Hue having an air exit and anair inlet, whereby the recirculated atmosphere may be conditioned as to its moisture content, and means for supporting material within said chamber.

3. In a drier of the class described, a foraminous tray therein, a plurality of racks positioned within the chamber at the respective sides of the tray, said racks having means for supporting a series of plate-like members, means for blowing a drying atmosphere downwardly within the chamber, return ducts having eduction and intake an air outlet and an air inlet, a rack positioned withinv the chamber and removable therefrom, said rack having means for supporting a plurality of plate-like members, and means for diverting the downow of air within said chamber.

5. A drier of the class described embodying a housin provided with partition walls forming a c amber and a plurality of return fines, a tray mounted removably within said chamber, a plurality of racks removable from said chamber, means for blowing air downwardly within the chamber, and air delecting means positioned intermediate the blower and one of said racks.

6. A drier of the class described embodying a housing provided with a chamber and a return flue, the latter having an air outlet and an air inlet, a blower connected with the return flue and operating for blowing air downwardly within the chamber, means for supporting material in the chamber, and air deflecting means below said blower.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 26th da of February, 1926.

Gom) N DON HARRis. 

